Girdle and combination girdle and brassiere



Quay '3'; 193% WIPPERMAN "2 @46,86l

GIRDLE AND COMBINATION GIRDLE AND BRASSIERE Filed May 31, 1955 2Shets-Sheet 1 w lmyvlm ZQ M w INVENTOR ATTORNEY 3 wu y A 1933 H.WEPPERMAN GIRDLE AND COMBINATION GIRDLE AND BRASSIERE Filed May 51, 19552 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENTorri cl-z GIRDLE AND oommma'rron omnm AND BaAssiERE Application May 31,1935, Serial No. 24,228

3 Claims.

This invention relates to foundation garments of the girdle orcombination girdle-and-brassiere type and has for its object to providean exceptionally strong confining garment of this character whichcombines maximum control with the least possible weight and bulk andfurthermore provides a hitherto unobtainable degree of ventilation whichinsures perfect comfort to the wearer even in the warmest sunmierweather.

Garments constructed according to my invention may be of the step-intype or they may have side openings provided with buttons, zippers orother fastening means according to common practice. The body portion ofthe garment is composed of elastic net preferably made on a fine countmachine using very strong kick elastic such as Power Lastex, and iscombined with a front panel which cooperates therewith to control thefigure in a novel manner hereinafter described.

The elastic fabric forming the body portion of my preferred garmentcomprises elastic threads running only in a transverse orhorizontaldirection and inelastic connecting threads which are wrappedaround and interlaced with the elastic threads in such a way thatconsiderable vertical elasticity results from the pull of the inelasticthreads upon the elastic threads running in the opposite direction. Thespecial construction of this fabric, coupled with other structuralfeatures hereinafter described, results in a sheer film-like garmentwhich adds little or no bulk to the figure while developing a confiningstrength equal to much heavier garments. Foundation garments asheretoforeconstructed have employed either one-way or two-way stretchelastic fabrics fitted to inelastic control panels with a fineobservance of proportions and symmetry of appearance when ofi as well ason the figure. One objection to garments of this type resides in theirweight and bulk which cannot be reduced beyond a certain point withoutimpairing the control function. The weight and 45 bulk of these garmentshave furthermore been greater whenever two-way stretch fabrics have beenemployed because such fabrics as heretofore constructed have requiredmore elastic thread than fabrics with a one-way stretch. In addition,ordinary two-way stretch fabrics employing elastic threads in bothdirections do not provide proper control or fit in garments of the typedescribed because each elastic thread is tied to a similar cross threadwhich stretches instead of holding tightly as it should do.

My improved foundation garment is constructed and proportioned from adifferent standpoint than the prior art garments referred to above. Inthe main it ignores commonly accepted methods of cutting andproportioning the elastic and 6 control sections of a garment and payslittle or no attention to symmetry of appearance when the garment is offthe figure. Instead of following previous methods of design my preferredgarment employs an elastic net fabric of extremely 10 fine mesh which ina normal or contracted, state is much smaller than is required to fitthe figure or to match the front panel but which readily expands bothhorizontally and vertically to the required proportions so as to matchthe front panel 15 when worn and effect the desired control of thefigure while forming a smooth symmetrical foundation for outergarments.The preferred construction of such elastic fabric to provide vertical aswell as horizontal contractive force, its combination with an inelasticor other suitable control panel or panels of standard size, and otherstructural and functional features and advantages of the invention, willbe described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a combination garment embodying the invention,showing same as worn on the figure;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a girdle applied to the figure;

Fig. 4 is a magnified detail view of the elastic fabric employed inthese garments, showing same in normal or contracted condition;

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the forces acting on thehorizontal elastic threads when the fabric is stretched;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the girdle of Fig. 3 as it appears offthe body;

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the interior or lining of the frontpanel;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through the front of the garment on line8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail View of a seam and garter ,connection at the loweredge of the garment; and

Fig. 10 is a detail section taken on line I0l0 of Fig. 6.

The garment shown in Figs. land 2 comprises a body portion I of elasticmaterial forming the back and sides of the garment, an inelastic orother relatively stiff front panel 2 capable of confining the lowerregions of the body, inelastic bust pockets 3 stitched to the upperedges of sections I and 2, and elastic shoulder straps 4 connected tothe apices'of the bust pockets and having multiple branches 5 which arestitched to the back of the garment as shown in Fig. 2. The back is cutlow, ending slightly above the normal waistline.

Fig. 3 shows the girdle style which also comprises a body portion I ofelastic material forming the back and sides of the garment, and a. frontcontrol panel 2. Except for the provision of the bust pockets andshoulder straps in Figs. 1 and 2 the combination garment and the girdleare alike in structure and function; hence similar reference charactersare used in both cases and the ensuing description, where made withparticular reference to one garment, will be understood to be equallyapplicable to the other.

The elastic body portion I comprises a firm, exceptionally fine elasticnet made on a fine count machine employing parallel elastic threads 6 ofvery strong kick elastic such as Power Lastex suitably wrapped withfibrous strands I of silk, cotton or the like as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.The parallel elastic threads 6 run only in a transverse or horizontaldirection in the garment, and these threads are connected in the fabricby fine inelastic threads 8 which are wrapped around and interlaced withthe elastic threads 6 in such a way that considerable vertical kick orcontractive force results from the pull of the elastic threads when theyare distorted in a direction perpendicular to their length.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the inelastic threads 8 are eachwrapped around an elastic thread 8 for one or more turns and are thencarried at right-angles onto the next adjacent elastic threadB asindicated by the connecting links 9 in Fig. 5, whereupon they arewrapped around said adjacent thread 6 for a like number of turns beforejumping to the next succeeding elastic thread as before. To betterillustrate the construction, the course of each inelastic thread 8 inthe fabric may be likened to a series of steps wherein the connectinglinks 9 constitute the riser and the portions wrapped around the threads6 constitute the tread. In the fabricating machine the carriers of theinelastic threads 8 follow this course to the edge of the fabric andthen start back along a similar new course until the fabric iscompleted. As illustrated, the connecting links 9 each comprise twoinelastic threads 8, one of which comes from the left and the other ofwhich comes from the right as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5, from which itwill be seen that the riser portions of each series of steps 8 meet andcross similar riser portions of other steps to form the doubledconnecting links 9 in their normal course through the fabric.

If the connecting links 9 of inelastic threads 8 were allowed to assumea continuous vertical course from one elastic thread 6 to another, the

fabric would have little if any elasticity in such vertical direction.In the staggered construction illustrated, however, there is a gapbetween each connecting link 9 in vertical alignment therewith; hencewhen the fabric is put under vertical tension as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5it will display considerable vertical kick because the inelasticconnecting links 9 will pull upon and distort the horizontal elasticthreads 6 instead of pulling ineifectually upon one another. In'itsnormal or unstretched condition the fabric is honeycombed with tinyrectangular holes whose vertical sides are formed by adjacent links 9and whose top and bottom edges are formed by the portions of the elasticthreads 6 which lie between said links; but when the fabric is put undervertical tension the elastic top and bottom edges of these squares aredistorted by the pull of the links 9 which form the vertical sides ofthe next succeeding squares of the staggered vertical series, thuschanging the squares to a hexagonal shape as illustrated in Fig. 5 wherethe fabric is under partial vertical tension.

When the fabric is embodied in the garment the elastic threads 6 run ina transverse or horizontal direction as indicated by the long arrows inFigs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 which also contain shorter arrows representingvertical elasticity. .In the form illustrated the elastic body portion Iis cut seamless and has its upper and lower edges turned inwardly toform hems Ill which are secured by saw-tooth stitches II allowing themarginal edges to stretch without interference. The body portion I isstitched to the longitudinal edges of the front panel 2 which maycomprise an outer layer of lace lined with firm inelastic bobinette I2.The three layers of material I, 2 and I2 are preferably stitchedtogether and their meeting edges covered by tapes I3 on the reverse sideof the garment as shown in Fig. 8. The front panel may also be lightlyboned as with bones I4 concealed in tapes I5 which are stitched to thelining I2 as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. Elastic garter loops I6 arestitched to the lower hem portions of the garment, preferably with theattached edges of the loops spaced apart as in Figs. 6 and 9 todistribute the strain on elastic body portion I, and garters I"! areslidably mounted on said loops so as to be automatically adjustable inconformity with bending movements of the body. The garters arepreferably secured to the fabric with a saw-tooth or zigzag stitch whichis elastic like the fabric itself. This stitch also finishes the rawends of the web used in the garters.

The material of the front panel 2 must be cut substantially longer thanthe elastic body portion I at the meeting edges of these sectionsbecause of the extensive strength of the elastic body portion on thefigure. In the girdle of Fig. 3 panel 2 is cut two and one-half incheslonger than the edges of the body portion I to which it is attached,although the exact difference in length will depend upon the type andsize of each garment. In seaming the elastic body portion to thestaypanel it is necessary to extend the elastic evenly and sufliciently tomake the length agree with the panel length. This is necessary so that,when the garment is on the body and the elastic net is extended bothhorizontally and vertically, it will assume a smooth appearance on thebody. The elastic body portion furthermore is so shaped that, whenseamed to the front panel, it makes the garment smaller at the waist andfull through the hips and slightly narrower again at' the bottom' edgeto conform to the figure.

When the garment is off the figure the elastic body portion may assume acontracted, krinkled appearance and the front panel is puckered up asillustrated in Fig. 6. This puckering is caused by the unequal verticaldimension or length of the front panel and the unstretched elastic bodyportion which contracts the garment horizontally and vertically to asize substantially smaller than the regions of the body which it isintended to cover, and it gives the garment a not too attractiveappearance when off the body. When the garment is worn, however, theentire aspect changes. The elastic body portion I stretches bothvertically and horizontally and not only equal to much heavier garments.

aoeaeci covers the proper regions of the body but conforms throughout tothe contour of the figure, tensions the panel 2 across the front of thebody and forms a perfectly smooth foundation for outer garments. Whenstretched on the body the elastic portion i has a texture comparable tolight gauze, with a confining strength It is extremely thin and cool towear and adds little or no bulk to the figure as other garments do. Theweight of the garment is measured in ounces, that shown in Fig. 3weighing about three ounces.

As pointed out above, the elastic body portion 0 of my garment has bothstretch and kick (contractive force) in a vertical direction withoutelastic threads running vertically. The elastic body portion, aspreviously stated, is cut so that it will match the front panel 2 whenthe garment is on the figure without regard to how they compare when thegarment is not on the figure. An important advantage of the garment isthat it is lighter and thinner, or closer to the nude, thanpreviousgarments of this type, yet it has the kick of a much heaviergarment. The fact that the inelastic threads are actually wrapped aroundthe elastic threads, instead of being looped as in a knitted structure,gives the fabric a much better tie-in of the elastic threads thantorted. Another advantage is that the holes or open-mesh structure ofthe elastic body portion when stretched enables the garment to clingunusually well to the body and to move with the body as it bends.

The lace employed for the front of panel 2 preserves the light, sheercharacter of the garment and adds to its appearance. The bobbinettelining gives the front panel strength and provides a medium for applyinglight boning; which in the case of a girdle holds the front of thegarment up over the diaphragm and prevents it from rolling down when thefigure is seated; and in the case of a combination garment, where a topand bust pockets are added, the front panel and light boning flatten thediaphragm and prevent the garment from breaking at the waistline whenthe figure is leaning forward.

It will thus be evident that my garment discards the teachings of theprior art where symmetry of appearance ofi the figure has always beenconsidered essential to proper fit and proper control of a foundationgarment and where observance of too many time-worn traditions has madeif impossible to obtain anything like the combined structural andfunctional advantages of my garment in the matter of strength, weight,bulk, comfort, ventilation and general satisfaction to the wearer.

It will also be evident that various changes may be made in the detailsof construction herein shown and described and that the invention istherefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims wheninterpreted in view of the prior art.

The invention claimed is:

l. A foundation garment for women comprising an elastic body portion anda connected front panel, the material of said front .panel having avertical dimension greater than that of said body portion in unstretchedcondition, said body portion being composed of two-way stretch elasticnet which is adapted normally to contract the garment horizontally andvertically to a size sub,- stantially smaller than the regions of thebody which it is intended to cover and which is adapted to stretch inboth directions to cover said regions and conform to said panel whiletensioning same firmly across the front of the body.

2. A foundation garment for women comprising an elastic body portionforming the back and sides of the garment and a front panel having itslongitudinal edges secured to the edges of said body portion, the edgesof the material of said front panel being longer than the connectededges of said body portion when in unstretched condition, said bodyportion being composed of fine two-way stretch elastic not which isadapted normally to contract the garment horizontally and vertically toa size substantially smaller than the regions of the body which it isintended to cover and which is adapted to stretch in both directions togauze-like consistency to cover said regions and conform to said panelwhile tensioning same firmly across the front of the body.

3. A foundation garment for women comprising an elastic body portionforming the back and sides of the garment and a front panel having itslongitudinal edges secured to the edges of said body portion, the edgesof the material of said front panel being longer than the connectededges of said body portion when in unstretched condition, said bodyportion being composed of v sion said panel firmly across the front ofthe body.

HILDEGARD WIPPERIVLAN.

